East China's Shanghai Port – which boasts operating over 300 international shipping routes – is expected soon to become the third port in the world to be capable of providing a liquefied natural gas, or LNG refueling service.

A mega refueling vessel will be on standby in March at the Yangshan Port area of Shanghai Port to serve a container vessel operated by the CMA CGM Group, the French firm that is one of the world's biggest container transportation and shipping companies. This is the first bonded LNG refueling business to be offered for international ships in China.

A ship loaded with cargo is on standby at Yangshan Port. [Photo/IC]

Yangshan Port is understood to have prepared well for the new LNG business.

Over the past year, five bridge cranes and 12 rail cranes were added to the Yangshan Phase IV automated terminal, with its container throughput exceeding 5.7 million TEUs or twenty-foot equivalent units. Meanwhile, the construction of an empty container yard and heavy container yard in Yangshan Port area has fully started.

In addition, Yangshan Port has continued to promote the informatization and intelligent construction of ports. The smart port production online digital platform, 5G intelligent heavy trucks, ultra remote intelligent command and control centers operated by Shanghai International Port (Group) Co Ltd or SIPG and other innovative projects have all landed at Yangshan Port.

The new Shanghai Port Northeast Asia Empty Container Transportation Center there is predicted to start operating in the first half of the year.

It is believed that SIPG will improve the flow efficiency of empty containers in Shanghai, the Yangtze River Delta, cities along the Yangtze River and in northeast Asia ports through new digital operations mode.